On This Day In 1970: September 19

[cboemmeljr]

#50THANNIVERSARY

On this day in 1970 the Baltimore Orioles fell to the Cleveland Indians by a score of 4-2.

Jim Rittwage won his first game of the year with a 6 hit, 2 run complete game effort.  The Cleveland right-hander walked 2 and struck out 7.

Dave McNally took the loss following 7.0 innings of work in which he allowed 3 runs on 7 hits while walking 3 and striking out 5.  McNally went 1 for 2 with 1 run scored at the plate.

Curt Motton (1 for 4) scored the Birds other run and Terry Crowley and Davey Johnson provided the RBI.

BOX SCORE

[Just Regular]

This spring in the baseball desert, MLB opening the archive for the whole '70 Series was a treat while waiting.  There was a Lefty Grove sideline interview, to my generation blurring astonishment.

I don't think we need to worry about spoilers here, so....only a Lee May 3-run HR in garbage time to avert the Reds down to their last 6 outs from getting swept stood between this being the LAST loss of the season as the peak Orioles teams neared their all-time high Elo, and one of the highest any team has ever attained.

Just as it was conventional alchemy when I was a kid that Earl's final run falling just short fueled the '83 clubhouse's Eye of the Tiger, I imagine this team was very salty about '69's ending and, as I guess Ben would say it, were about to hurt some opponent's feelings.